FC Koln’s director Thomas Kessler has warned that the club will not be able to do everything they want in the summer transfer market, despite interest in Middlesbrough’s Rav van den Berg.
Koln is one of the clubs interested in Van den Berg this summer. Because of the uncertainty surrounding his future, Boro head coach Rob Edwards excluded him from the team on Saturday, as the club began the new season with a 1-0 victory over Swansea City.
The centre-back is alleged to have expressed a desire to depart this summer, with a specific preference for a move to the Bundesliga. However, no club has yet met Boro’s estimate, and the club remains steadfast because the Dutchman has two years left on his current contract.
According to Sport Bild, Kessler is trying everything he can to sign Van den Berg after Boro rejected an earlier €7 million bid. It is believed that they are willing to spend an additional €2-3 million to persuade Boro to sell. However, they are reported to have turned down comparable offers from Feyenoord, who ultimately chose other options.
In recent comments on transfers, Kessler has recognized that not every step they make will result in a transfer. Furthermore, it is reported that Koln has already found a replacement to Van den Berg, with centre-back no longer being their main priority, having recruited Cenk Ozkacar on loan from Valencia.
Speaking to MagentaSport ahead of Saturday’s friendly win over Atalanta Bergamo, Kessler is reported as saying: “If the Bundesliga started tomorrow, I believe we are well prepared. However, if there is a potential to improve quality, we will do so. I stated from the start that we want to bring quality up front if possible.
“We are still in talks and looking into what is available on the market. We cannot accomplish everything, and not every talk results in a transfer. “We’ll look around and see what else happens.”
Despite the words, Koln is said to seek another center-back if possible. However, with Boro demanding a cost that many believe is too high for the German team to pay, they have apparently agreed on an alternative. They are also said to be interested in Magdeburg defender Jean Hugonet, who is in the final year of his contract.
Speaking on Saturday after being left out of Boro’s first match-day squad, Edwards said: “The matter is ongoing, so it’s difficult for me to discuss at the moment. I didn’t think it was appropriate to have him involved today. If he’s still here, Rav and I have a wonderful relationship. So nothing is broken or anything like that.
“We just had a conversation, and I felt it was appropriate for the group.” He was fine. If he is still present, he will be welcomed in. He’s fine with the lads, and he’s currently high-fiving them all. So there is no problem whatsoever. But, while the problem is ongoing, I believe that was the correct decision today.
Leave a Reply